Norm Peterson

Norm Peterson

3
    Cheers
Photo Credit: Everett Collection

Character Analysis

(Avoiding Spoilers)

Living… in Boston with his wife Vera. Norm grew up in Boston, and then moved back from Chicago to become an accountant. He is a childhood friend of fellow Cheers barfly Cliff Clavin and a lifelong Celtics fan, but he considered leaving the city after a brush with mortality. An X-ray showed a spot on his chest, and while it turned out he was just fine, the scare made him consider a move to Bora Bora. But he stayed put. If anything, he lives at Cheers.

Profession… an accountant by training. Norm lost his job after bringing his boss Mr. Stabell to Cheers in an effort to impress him. Norm ended up drinking too much and disgusting his boss, at which point he begged Diane to seduce Stabell. Diane resisted Stabell’s advances but he wouldn’t relent, so Norm had to step in, jeopardizing his job in the process. After that, Norm struggled for a few years as an independent accountant before deciding to become a housepainter.

Interests... drinking. Even when unemployed, Norm is Cheers’ number one customer. He has by far the largest tab and the most insatiable thirst. The only time he paid off any of his tab was when he was temporarily cut off by Rebecca Howe after she learned he owed almost $850. He got out of it by painting her office and apartment, eventually leading to his new career. This is part of the reason Cheers is Norm’s favorite bar – no other tavern would tolerate his drink-now-pay-later attitude.

Relationship Status... married to Vera. While Norm has been married for years, Vera is rarely with him at Cheers. She’s the brunt of many of his jokes, but he has also declared undying love for her as well as defended her honor on numerous occasions. They once separated temporarily but reconciled within the year. It’s just the two of them at home; after months of unsuccessfully trying to procreate, they decided to never have children.

Challenge… let Norm tell it:“Ah, that's tough to say, Coach. Let's see. I'm overweight, unemployed, separated, depressed, starting to drink too much. Guess my biggest problem is I've never been happier.” As long as he doesn’t have to pay his tab, Norm is generally quite content. Maybe he could shoot higher in life, but given his relatively limited goals, Norm is doing just fine.

Personality... beaten-down but witty. For someone so often inebriated, Norm is always ready with a quip like, “It’s a dog-eat-dog world, and I’m wearing milk bone underwear.” He’s an unlikely candidate for the life of the party, but at Cheers, he’s exactly that. He’s somehow both the perfect bar patron and a terrible one, never paying his tab but earning his stool night after night with solid camaraderie. At times Norm yearns for a less routine, more exotic existence, but most of the time all he wants is a cold beer. 

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